Sri Lankan residents

All Sri Lankan residents who are employed in a foreign state must fill the form on Sri Lankan foreign employment website before returning to BIA. – http://www.slbfe.lk/file.php?FID=363

Health Declaration Form to be filled by all Passengers arriving in Sri Lanka - https://caa.lk/images/2020/covid_19/ Health_Declaration_Form_06112020.pdf

Sri Lankan residents are advised to check with their airline for specific details relevant to their flight timings.

All travelers of two years and above arriving in Sri Lanka should mandatorily carry a negative COVID-19 PCR test report
(i) The PCR test result (negative) must be in English or a certified translation of the document/test report with the original.
(ii) Sri Lankan passport holder (resident or tourist) must have;
(a) PCR test done within 72hrs prior to departure.
(b) Rapid Antigen Test reports are no longer accepted.
(iii) Foreign Passport Holder (resident or tourist) must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test report within 72hrs prior to their departure flight.

The Sri Lankan Citizens (including Sri Lankan Seafarers arriving by air) or Dual Citizens (if using the Sri Lankan passport to arrive) staying in a designated Quarantine Hotel after arriving in Sri Lanka, do not need to get the prior approval from the Foreign Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka to arrive Sri Lanka. They have to liaise with the airline and arrive in Sri Lanka after booking the Quarantine Hotel.

Travelers arriving via Sri Lanka Tourism, should get the prior approval to enter the country via Sri Lanka Tourism through https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/ and they do not need to get the prior approval of the Foreign Ministry.

Dual Citizens (if using the foreign passport to arrive) and Foreign National (including Valid Resident Visa Holders) should get the prior approval from the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka (Email : entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk) to arrive to Sri Lanka, if not arriving via Sri Lanka Tourism.

Foreigners arriving for important projects/meetings/ discussions as invited by the Sri Lankan Government/ Private Organization should get prior approval from the Foreign Ministry Sri Lanka ( Email :entry.permission@mfa.gov.lk) for them to arrive by submitting necessary details with the letter of invitation from Sri Lanka counterpart.

Sri Lankan residents are advised to check with their airline for specific details relevant to their country of departure.

Sri Lankans departing from BIA are advised to follow the requirements of their final destination, as some may require an additional negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate to be presented before leaving BIA.

The negative COVID-19 PCR test result must be presented in printed certificate format by the traveler on arrival to BIA. The certificate must be in English only. No handwritten certificates will be permitted.

All passengers arriving at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport are required to undergo a PCR test conducted by a Sri Lankan hospital. Passengers are required to bear all PCR test costs and other related expenses at the time of arrival.

All passengers should be screened for body temperature and respiratory symptoms such as cough, runny nose and/or shortness of breath, etc. before entering the departure terminal; if anyone records a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celcius (99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) or above and/or respiratory symptoms he/she should be immediately referred to the airport health office of quarantine unit.

All departing passengers (including Sri Lankans and crew members) should have a filled Health Declaration Form (HDF) of Sri Lanka which is a pre-requisite for embarkation.

Based on the boarding requirements of the departure airline/flight or the country requirements of the final destination, passengers may need to produce a PCR test report before embarkation; hence they are advised to check on this with relevant authorities/travel agent or Airline before arriving at the airport for departure.

Before travel, transit passengers must check with their airline and their final destination for specific requirements.

A mandatory temperature checkpoint of each person disembarking the aircraft shall be taken before the passengers leaving the aircraft (before aerobridge or steps). This may be done whilst passengers are seated in the aircraft at the discretion of the AASL.

Transit via Sri Lanka is permitted, as long as the connecting flight is within 10 hours of arrival. Travelers should check with their airline on the transit times. There are limited airside refreshment facilities available due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The maximum permitted transit time at BIA for any passenger transiting through BIA must be less than 12 hours. Passengers must have a confirmed connection later from BIA to a destination, and passengers must ensure that they do not exit the airport in the transit country on their way to Sri Lanka. If passengers arriving from the airport in another country are discharged for more than 72 hours, they must obtain a new COVID-19 PCR report from that country, and it should be done within 72 hours prior to their departure.

The Government of Sri Lanka has requested that all foreign nationals on tourist or business visas and expatriates involved in the tourism industry should register themselves on the following website - https://register.sltda.gov.lk/

After completing immigration procedures, the tourists should undergo mandatory PCR testing at the airport or at the responsible hotels.

Expatriate nationals must carry a negative COVID - 19 PCR Test Report (in English or a certified translation of the document/test report with the original) done within 72 hours prior to their departure. (Rapid Antigen Rests are not accepted).

It is mandatory for all tourists to commit to a minimum stay of five (05) nights in Sri Lanka and book all accommodation only at SLTDA (Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority) registered and ‘Safe & Secure’ certified establishments; the first night should be booked at an accommodation establishment in close proximity to the arrival airport until results of the on-arrival PCR tests are released (Colombo/Negombo areas for arrivals from Bandaranaike/Ratmalana International Airports and Hambantota area for arrivals from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport).

All tourists entering Sri Lanka are required to obtain online tourist visas before arrival. An online tourist visa fee of USD 100 will be applicable until further notice. The “Visa Free” status and the issuance of “On Arrival” visas are suspended until further notice. The following documents are mandatory for processing online tourist visa;

Valid travel insurance with health and hospitalization coverage for the entire duration of stay.

Travel itinerary and details of confirmed reservations made at SLTDA registered and ‘Safe & Secure’ certified accommodation establishments, with the first-night stay at a facility in and around Colombo/ Negombo or Hambantota depending on the arrival airport.

Foreign passengers wishing to return to Sri Lanka should contact their nearest Sri Lankan High Commission for advice. The Sri Lankan High Commission in London can be contacted by email: mail@slhc-london.co.uk

Also, the Visa facility is temporarily suspended until further notice due to Covide 19 for the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and Ort-Arrival visa facilitates also including the countries the Maldives, Singapore, and Seychelles, even which are visa exempted to Sri Lanka.

Kindly note that all foreign passport holders who are Sri Lankans or the spouse and children of Sri Lankan parents under the age of 12 are not subject to this restriction and obtaining a visa will be facilitated at the port of entry into Sri Lanka.

Please visit www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/ for further information on the “Travel Bubble Concept”.
Please visit www.health.gov.lk/ for further information on the Quarantine Measures for travelers arriving from overseas.